The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
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Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. · Apr 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialKetamine-Induced Modulation of the Thalamo-Cortical Network in Healthy Volunteers As a Model for Schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia has been associated with disturbances of thalamic functioning. In light of recent evidence suggesting a significant impact of the glutamatergic system on key symptoms of schizophrenia, we assessed whether modulation of the glutamatergic system via blockage of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor might lead to changes of thalamic functional connectivity. ⋯ Our results indicate that changes of thalamic functioning as described for schizophrenia can be partly mimicked by NMDA-receptor blockage. This adds substantial knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the profound changes of perception and behavior during the application of NMDA-receptor antagonists.